Rat trap



F. KELLER.

RAT TRAP. APPLICATION Film) APR. 2a.: |9'g1.

Patented Reb. 7,1922.

of trigger mechanism which will quickly UNITED STATES PATENT, ,ol-FicsA JOHN Fiaclzz'lmrcx` KELLER; or`o;l"rov1LLE,v oHIo.

l RAT TRA?. i

s. of Ottoville, in thecounty ofyPutnam and State of Ohio, have invented anew and Improved Rat Trap, ofy which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in rat traps, an object of the invention being to provide a trap equippedwith a'novel form operate the trap after a rat has entered.

Another object VisV to provide'a rat'trapl whichV will be exceedingly simple yand practicall in construction, which will be strong,` durable and elcientin use, which may be easily kept clean, and which will be comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features ofconstruction'and combinations and arrangements ofl parts as will vbe more fully out in the y proved rat trap in -set position;

Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 8 is a view in transverse section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings, my improved trap comprises an elongated rectangular casing 1. A wire screen such as 2, constitutes the top of the casing. The ends of the casing are closed by doors 3 slidable vertically in door frames 4:. Any preferred kind of handle members such as 5, may be provided for manually lifting the doors. Upwardly extending brackets 6 are attached to the door frame. A bar 7 ofthe rectangular cross section illustrated. is provided at each end with a trunnion 8 journaled in one of the brackets 6.

A trap door or platform 9 hinged in the bottom of the casing is operatively connected to the bar 7 through the medium of a link Y 10 and a laterally extending arm 11 rigidly connected to the bar 7.

Triggers 12 carried by the ends of the bar 7 are engageable under lugs 13 carried Vby Y vated position. The trig the doorsv 3 to support these doors in elers 12 are normally maintained out of the path of the lugs by a balancing arm 14 extending laterally from the arm 11, and by operating the arm 14 to Specification of Ilietters Patent. Application :filed April 26,V

Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

rotate the bar 7, the triggers l2 `melf be inst accidental turningon its trun- VIn operation, the doors yare supported in the elevated position illustrated inthe drawings. Any suitable bait ',(not shown) is positionedv in the trap adjacent the door or platform 9. A rat entering the'trap will stepy .i upon the platform 9 and operate through the 'medium yoflthe'flink 1Q and arm'll to turn the bar 7 ,on'itstrunniona move the triggers 12 out ofrengagement withftherlugs `13 and permit the doors 3` to fall by gravity.`A '.A'jrectangular box or ycasing 15 communicates ywith an opening 16 'in the sde'of the casing 1. The opening 16 is closedv by a hinged doorvor fiap 17 permitting ready ingress to the casing 15 and effectively blocking egress. After a rat has been caught in the trap, he will pass through the door v17 seeking a way to freedom. The door 17 effectively prevents his returnvinto the trapv and the trap may again be set. l

Although I have illustrated one of the preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be apparent that various slight changes and alterations might be made in the general form and arrangement of the parts described without departing from the invention and hence I-.do notwish to limit rmyself to the precise details set forth, but shall consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall Within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. -An animal trap including a casing, vertically slidable doors normally. closing the ends of thefcasing, a bar journaled across the top of the casing, means associated with the bar for supporting a door in elevated position, means whereby rotation of the bar permits the door to close.

f 2. An animal trap including a rectangular casing, vertically slidable doors normally closing the ends of the casing, upstanding brackets on the ends of the casing. a bar across the top of the casing, trunnions on the ends of the bar journaled in the brackets, means associated with the ends of thev by gravity.

3. An animal trap including a rectangular Y casing, vertically slidable doors normally closing the ends of the casing, upstanding brackets on the ends of the casing-,Va bar across the top of the casing, trunnions on the ends of the bar journaled in the brackets, means associated with the ends, of the bar for supporting the doors in elevatedpositi'on, a vhinged trap door in the casing,

`means operatively connecting the trap door and bar, wherebyV a Weight upon the trap door turns the bar on its trunnions, and

f means whereby such turning of the bar per-y mits the doors toifallby gravity.

l 4. An animal trap includlng a rectangular casing, vertically slidable doors closing theV ends of the casing, bearing'brackets xed to Vthe ends of the casing, a bar journaled above the casing in theV bearing brackets, triggers carried bythe ends of the bar, lugs carried bythedoors and adapted to be supported on; the triggers, means whereby rotation of I the bar disen ages the triggers and lugs and permits the oors to fall by gravity.

5. An animal tra includingareetangular casing, verticallyfs idable doors closing the vends of the casing, bearing bracketsfxed to i the ends of the casing, a-bar jonrnaled above l v the casing in the bearingbrackets, triggers carried by the ends of the bar, lugs carried by the doors and adapted to be supported on the triggers, means whereby rotation of the bar disengages the triggers and lugs and permitsthe doors to fall bygravity, and

means VvWherebythe Weight of a rat` in the trap turns said bar. i

6. An animal traprinclulding arectangular casing, vertically slidableV doors closing'the ends of the casing, bearingvbrackets Vfined to the ends of the casing, a barj ournaled'above the casing in the bearing brackets, triggers carried by the ends of the bar, lugs-carried by the doors Vand adapted to be supported on the triggers, meansv whereby rotation of the bar disengages the triggers and lugs and erally from the baranda link operatively connecting the platformand arm. y l' Jol-IN F.REIDRICK,KELLER 

